Workout Summary

Workout Description

When it comes to full body workouts, most involve the same old, same old structure and exercises. While these workouts are highly effective, I decided it was time to create a design structure that allowed trainees to play with some options without sacrificing effectiveness.

This is a "build your own" workout system. It is highly customizable and can literally generate hundreds upon hundreds of unique workout program variations that will help you to build muscle (and strength).

You will be given blocks of quality exercises to choose from. It won't matter which exercise you choose from each block, because this system makes it impossible to create an ineffective full body workout.

What is an HLM full body workout?

HLM stands for heavy, light and moderate training days. You will be lifting 3 times per week, using the following schedule:

Monday - Heavy training day

Wednesday - Light training day

Friday - Moderate training day

Heavy day. Heavy training days will focus on the use of primarily compound exercises and 5 rep sets.

Light day. Light training days will allow you to target muscle groups with isolation exercises, or less intense compound movements. You will have the freedom to choose from cable, machine or even bodyweight exercises. Most sets will work within the 12-15 rep range. Bodyweight work may involve timed sets, or sets for as many reps as possible.

Moderate day. You will be given the choice between compound movements and heavy hitting alternatives. Rep ranges will remain around 8-10 per set for most exercises.

An HLM approach varies rep ranges in an attempt to help stimulate as much hypertrophy (muscle growth) as possible. It also cycles intensity (heavy training), which should improve recovery and be somewhat easier on your joints over the long run.

HLM full body template

Though a full body workout is designed to work the body in its entirety, exercise choices will be listed by muscle group for the sake of convenience. This isn't to imply that you need to worry about muscle groups when using compound exercises; you don't.

Focus on progressive overload first and foremost, and trust the process. Muscle groups will grow from overload and consistent effort. You don't need to "concentrate" on them for muscle to be built.

Here are the templates for each training day:

Monday - Heavy

Heavy Day Template

Bodypart

Chart

Quads

Heavy

Chest

Heavy

Back

Heavy

Shoulders

Heavy

Biceps

Moderate

Triceps

Moderate

Calves * (optional)

Moderate

Abs (optional)

Moderate

Wednesday - Light

Light Day Template

Bodypart

Chart

Quads

Light

Chest

Light

Back

Light

Shoulders

Light

Hamstrings *

Light

Triceps

Light

Biceps

Light

Traps (optional)

Moderate

Friday - Moderate

Moderate Day Template

Bodypart

Chart

Quads

Moderate

Chest

Moderate

Back

Moderate

Shoulders

Moderate

Biceps

Moderate

Triceps

Moderate

Calves * (optional)

Moderate

Abs (optional)

Moderate

Note: If you need more hamstring work, insert a moderate hamstring exercise into Monday and Wednesday's workout in place of the calf exercise. Then, remove the hamstring exercise from Wednesday and train calves instead.

Do I do the 1st set of workouts first and then go to the next exercise once I'm done with the whole set. Or is it one set for each and repeat the next sets for all the workouts? I hope that made sense sorry if it didn't.

Its not really recommended if you're following a full body workout due to the stress it puts on your body - (remember you grow while you rest, not in the gym!) - but you could cycle the workout everyother day, so Week one would look like:
Mon: Heavy
Tues: Rest
Weds: Light
Thurs: Rest
Fri: Moderate
Sat: Rest
Sun: Heavy
(and then cycle the workout to follow on to Week 2:)
Mon: Rest
Tues: Light
Weds: Rest etc...

If you're insistant on wanting to train 4 days a week though, an upper/lower split may be a better option for you as it works your muscle groups twice per week under greater stress, eg more reps/sets but gives your muscles adequate time to recover between each workout.

Hey i chosen and put togheter a full body workout with the exercises listed above, can you please take a look at it and tell me what you think, maybe tell me what i need to change or add so i can start doing it? thanks.

Hey Charlie, I would recommend 30-45 secs of rest time between each set, and 60-90 secs between each workout. This would allow your heart rate to stay generally consistent throughout the workout, and save you time in the gym.

How do you progress on the heavy day's major exercises? Do you add 5 lbs each workout? My approach so far has been to add 5 lbs each workout until that gets to be too much, then switch to a more gradual 3 x 4-6 progression.

I love HLM workouts, and have been doing one for about a year (I got it from this site, actually). My questions are, 1. Can I do cardio on the in-between days (Tuesday and Thursday), and 2. Can I incorporate a half hour of heavy and speed bag work after the light and moderate days?

You say this programm is for beginners. Well I weighttrain for several years now, but unfortunately I did not gain a great deal of muscle...I am pretty ripped an lean but I really want to build some muscle and strenght. I am a tall lanky, 23 year old guy. 6'4'' and 180lbs, ~10% bodyfat.
So I assume this programm would be pretty good for me.

What about hex bar deads ? I got one in my basement and would like to implement it into this routine, so I can do one session at home. Would hex bar deads be considered a leg exercise or a back exercise ?
Could I do some bodyweight exercises like one leg squats or pistol squats for legs on the light day ?

Thank you very much for the article and thanks in advance for your answer !